Plastic Sausage Casing Benefits
Plastic Sausage Casing Benefits
Plastic sausage casings, also referred to as synthetic casings, offer numerous structural and hygiene benefits compared to natural casings.
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That's why Hovus specializes in plastic sausage casings. Our Victan® casings product line for both cooked and raw sausages encompasses everything from semi-permeable solutions to high barrier materials.
Our Monolayer Casings, crafted from nylon, are perfect for cooking-and-stripping processes used in items like chorizo. They ensure excellent meat adhesion and diameter control, as well as offer customized graphic design and printing on the exterior of the product.
Our Multilayer Barrier Casings, made with polyamide, consist of multiple layers offering superior defense against water and oxygen permeation, making them ideal for fresh or frozen foods that require long-lasting preservation.
Lastly, our Victan® Smoke Casings are engineered with selective permeability, allowing smoke and water vapor to penetrate the casing and enhance the flavor of your product. These casings are beneficial in producing smoked, cooked, semi-dry, and raw sausages.
Explore the full range of Hovus plastic casings and films.
Comparing Collagen Casings and Natural Casings
Crafting an excellent sausage hinges on selecting the right sausage casing, which influences the bite and ensures the sausage is cooked evenly. Today, we will explore two types of sausage casings: traditional natural casings and artificial collagen casings.
Both options are derived from animal products and work exceptionally well for both cooked and smoked sausages. Therefore, before you prepare your batch of ground meat for bratwurst or breakfast sausage, consider your casing choices carefully.
The Basics of Sausage Casings
In essence, a sausage casing's primary function is to hold ground meat, seasonings, and spices while the sausage undergoes handling, cooking, and storage. Mastering the art of making sausage demands patience and practice, as the meat must be fed into the casings without air bubbles or tearing. Artificial casings have gained popularity due to their user-friendliness compared to natural casings. Still, it's essential to understand that different sausages require specific types of casings.
Selecting the Most Suitable Sausage Casings
The tradition of sausage making is ancient, with origins so old they are beyond recorded history. We know that the practice of grinding meat and fat, then stuffing the mixture into tubes and smoking it, allowed early humans to preserve meat before the invention of refrigeration. This method created a nutritious and portable meat product with a long shelf life.
Sources of Natural Casings
Even after thousands of years, some original principles of sausage-making are still practiced today. Natural sausage casings, popular for homemade fresh sausages, are derived from the digestive tracts of animals, primarily the submucous lining of the small intestine.
DIY Natural Casings
For hunters and those interested in fully utilizing animal parts, crafting your own natural casings at home is an option. Sausage casings can be made from pigs, sheep, deer, cattle, and other animals including bear or elk. This process involves carefully cleaning the body cavity to access the intestines, severing them from the stomach and large intestine, and cleaning them thoroughly. The cleaned intestines are then packed in saltwater for curing before use. Fresh casings should be used as soon as possible.
Origins of Artificial Collagen Casings
Modern advancements in sausage-making have resulted in artificial casings made from collagen, a protein found in animal hides. Extracting collagen involves treating hides with acids or alkalis to swell the proteins, then extracting and drying them to form tubes. Due to the complexity of this process, making collagen casings at home is not recommended.
Deciding Between Natural Casings and Collagen
Generally, natural and collagen casings are interchangeable. Both types create similar sausages when used correctly. The decision usually hinges on personal preference and practical considerations, as there are pros and cons to each.
Advantages of Collagen Casings
Many find that sausages made with collagen casings have a better bite and firmer texture. A study from the National Library of Medicine confirmed improved texture in fermented sausage with collagen casings compared to natural ones.
Collagen casings, sold in bundled tubes, load seamlessly on sausage stuffing horns and maintain uniform shape and size. They also require no preparation such as rinsing, soaking, or salting, making them ready for immediate use.
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Disadvantages of Collagen Casings
However, collagen casings can be tough to twist and sustain shape, and some are too delicate for hung and smoked sausages. Proper storage is crucial to avoid drying out or air exposure, which can cause the casings to deteriorate.
Advantages of Natural Casings
A major benefit of natural casings is utilizing animal parts that would otherwise be discarded. Many claim that natural casings offer superior flavor and better smoke flavor absorption. Natural casings are also generally reliable for hanging in a smoker.
Drawbacks of Natural Casings
Some individuals are reluctant to consume intestines. Natural casings have an inconsistent shape, complicating sausage stuffing. Delicate types, like sheep intestines, are prone to blowouts and air pockets. Their lumpy appearance can be off-putting for some.
Natural casings require careful handling and storage in salty water and necessitate rinsing before use.
Choosing the Best Casing for Grilling: Collagen vs. Natural
Both collagen and natural casings are suitable for grilling sausages. Collagen casings come in edible and non-edible varieties, with non-edible types intended to be removed post-cooking. Plastic casings should not be used for grilling, as they are suited for items like hot dogs, which need to be removed from the casing pre-cooking.
Natural casings, particularly sheep casings, may split on the grill. The USDA mandates that the source of natural casings should match the meat being stuffed, e.g., pork in pork casings.
Handy Tips for Using Collagen Casings
Collagen casings are beginner-friendly for homemade sausage makers. Consider the following tips for best results:
- Keep casings dry while stuffing to avoid them falling apart.
- Notice meat volume; overstuffing can cause bursting. When twisting, twist only 1-2 times.
- Collagen casings come in three types: fresh for tender sausages like brats, smoked for sausages that will undergo smoking, and snack sticks for dried sausages.
Pro Tips for Using Natural Casings
Natural casings are more traditional but require extra care and patience:
- Store casings in salt water to prevent bacterial growth.
- Estimate the required amount of sausage to avoid waste.
- Soak casings in cool water for at least 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly before use.
- Use gentle pressure to stuff sausages without air pockets or blowouts and prick air bubbles with a sharp knife.
Conclusion
The choice between collagen and natural casings often boils down to personal preference and convenience. In our household, collagen casings are frequently used due to their ease of use, but natural casings are also utilized for certain occasions. For those new to sausage making, starting with collagen casings is recommended to get accustomed to the process with a lower risk of failure before exploring the complexities of natural casings.
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